Farm-gate.



R. E. PORTER.

FARM GATE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. s1. 1910. RBNEWBD 1.93.25. 191s.

1,078,375, Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

@e l l ||||II| rl HH Iy||||||l 1 MW @JKM RALPH E. PORTER UTTED STATES PATENT FFTCE.

RALPH E. PORTER, OF PARKER, INDIANA.

FARMsGATE.

Application filed October 31, 1910, Serial No. 589,833.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, RALPH E. PORTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Parker city, in the county of Randolph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Farm-Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in farm gates of that class which are capable of being moved to and supported at different heights so that while they will turn the larger stock, they will at the same time permit the passing of small stock such as hogs and sheep.

I am aware that gates of this general character have been heretofore constructed, and the object of my invention is to pro-- vide improvements whereby the gate-frame may be raised or lowered with facility, and which may be readily secured and effectively supported. Also my purpose is to provide a gate which will be simple in construction, durable, and not liable to get outI of repair or adjustment.

In the drawings Figure l is a side view of gate containing my improvements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the holding and locking means. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2.

The several parts of my improved gate are designated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

A gate of this general character has heretofore been devised wherein a sub-post A having notches A1, serves as a support upon which the gate frame is fastened by straps B provided with rollers C. The gate frame is thus capable of being raised or lowered on the sub-post, and a member that is carried by the gate frame when moved into engagement with one of the notches A1 will support the gate-frame at the desired height. A gate built up on this principle is not of practicable service unless some facility is afforded whereby such gate may be easily locked into and unlocked from the different heights at which it may be placed, and which gate at the same time is supported by both rather than merely one of the fenceposts.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

Renewed April 25, 1913. Serial No. 763,692.

The desired objects above indicated are accomplished by this invention which consists of the new construction, combination and arrangement of parts illust-rated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

Arranged slidingly underneath the rail D of the gate frame, is a check-bar E and a lock-bar F. These bars are preferably made of hard wood and are supported at their outer ends by blocks G carried between the uprights H. The offsets E1 and F1 in the said check bar and the lock bar, respectively, serve to prevent the said bars from being pushed outwardly beyond the positions shown. The preferableJ form of hinge connection between the sub post A and the fence main-post J consists of eye bolts L which are engaged by t-he support-studs M. In the fence end-post O are located a series of recesses O1 which are spaced to corre spond with the spacing of the notches A1. When in closed position the gate is supported as shown; the end of the check-bar engaging a notch A1 and the end of the lock-bar engaging a recess O1. Now the thing desired is, that the gate frame may be easily raised to the desired height and secured there, without the manipulation of the check-bar and the lock-bar. This desirable result is accomplished by combining with the foregoing members the parts or elements now to be described.

P and P designate lift levers. These liftlevers are made of metal bars formed and arranged as shown in the drawing7 and by suitable pins or bolts P1 are pivotally supported on the rail D1 underneath the check bar and lock bar. The upright legs of these lift levers are connected loosely by bolts P3 to the ends of the check bar and lock bar. The spring Q has its ends secured to the pins P2 carried by the upright legs. The function of this spring Q is to press the check bar and the lock bar outwardly so as to keep them normally at the extended position shown, the end of the check bar being in a notch A1 and the end of the lock bar being in a recess O1 in the post O. The arms of the lift levers are of a shape and form to occupy a position slight-ly below and substantially parallel with the bot-tom edge of the rail D1; and are of such length that their end portions are a distance apart proper to be engaged by the hands of the person operating the gate.

F 2 designates a knob provided on the look bar near the front end of the gate frame.

From the foregoing description, the functions and utility of my improved gate, and the mode of operating same will be readily apparent. The rails being connected to the uprights by bolts R, the gate frame is capable of being raised or lowered at its front end so as to accord to unevenness of the ground; the gate frame will be braced by the diagonal brace S consisting of a pair of members having their upper ends connected by a bolt R1 to the top of the in-y termediate upright and their lower and slotted ends connected by a bolt R2 to the upright that is adjacent to the sub post. To

reinforce the ends of these members 1 use` the metallic bands S1 suitably secured in place by bolt-s or screws.

The gate in the normal closed position, is

shown in Fig. 1, the lock bar being in en- I carried by the fence posts equably ratherl than by hanging merely on the fence mainpost. By the action of the spring Q the check bar and lock bar will be kept at eX- tended positions and from which positions they may not be accidentally moved or dislodged. To unlock the gate frame for swinging same on its hinges, the lock bar is retracted by the operator either using the *knob F2, or by his lifting up on the handle of the lift lever that has connection with the said lock bar.

When the gate is to be opened vertically, the operator places his hands underneath the handles of the lift levers; in lifting same and the gate, the check bar and lock bar are both retracted and the gate frame thus freed from actual connection with the sub post and the fence end-post. The gate frame having been lifted to the height to give the desired clearance under same, the operator slips his hands from the handles and to the underside of the rail D1 whence the lift levers having been released, the spring Q will operate to shoot the check bar and lock bar outwardly into position to engage the higher notch A1 and recess O1, and the gate frame will thus be secured at the raised position.

The operation of lowering the gate frame is simply the repetition of the foregoing.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A fence closure including a fence mainpost, a fence end-post having successively arranged recesses therein, a sub-post hingedly connected to the fence lmain-post and having successively arranged notches therein, a gate-frame having its end connected to and capable of being raised and lowered on said sub-post, a check bar, a lock bar, yieldable means to hold the check bar and lock bar normally to extended position to engage the said notches and recesses respectively, a device having connection with said means that when actuated to raise the gat-e may retract the chock bar and lock bar.

2. A fence closure including a fence main-post, a fence end-post having successively arranged recesses therein, a sub-post hingedly connected to the main fence-post and having successively arranged notches therein, a gate-frame having its end connected to and capable of being raised and lowered on said sub-post, a check bar and a lock bar carried movably underneath one of the rails of the gate frame, an offset in the ends of the check bar and the lock bar to engage the end uprights of the gate frame, a spring to press the check bar and lock bar outwardly, lift levers having their ends connected with the inner ends of the check bar and lock bar and having their handles arranged to occupy a position slightly below one of the rails of the gate frame.

3. A farm gate, comprising a sub post having a series of notches therein, a gate frame connected to and adapted to be raised and lowered on said sub post, a check bar carried loosely on the gate frame to engage the notches, a lock bar carried loosely on said gate frame and having its end to project beyond the forward end of the gate frame, an offset in the check bar and lock bar to engage the end uprights of the gate frame, a spring to urge the check bar and the lock bar apart from each other, means that when actuated to raise the gate may retract the check bar and lock bar.

1. A farm gate comprising spaced longitudinal rails, uprights, two bars slidingly disposed underneath one of the rails, and having their ends to project beyond the ends of the gate, an oiset near the outer end of each bar to engage the end upright and prevent movement outwardly of the bar, a spring to urge said bars to the extended position, lift levers fulcrumed on the rail underneath said bars and having their ends loosely connected to the inner ends of the said bars and their handles to occupy a positio-Ii adjacent to the lower edge of the said rai 5. A farm gate, comprising a sub-post having successively arranged notches therein, a gate frame having its end connected to and capable of being raised and lowered on said sub post, a bar carried movably undersition adjacent the lower edge of one of the neath one of the rails of the gate frame, an rails substantially as described. 10 offset in the end of the bar to engage the In testimony whereof I affix my signature end upright of the gate frame, a spring to in presence of two witnesses.

" press the bar outwardly, a lift lever having RALPH E. PORTER.

connection with said bar and fulcrumed so Witnesses: that when operated the bar will be extended, NICHOLAS JENsMA, and provided with a handle disposed at po- THOMAS L. RYAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

